Nearly 3,000 vehicles were stolen in the first six months of 2017 in Calgary prompting the Calgary Police Service to dedicate an entire district operation team to combating the spike in auto thefts.
“This team will continue to work closely with members of the auto theft resource team as well as the prolific offender engagement team to investigate auto thefts in this city and target known prolific theft offenders,” explained CPS Staff Sergeant Jodi Gach. “The service will have a more coordinated approach to dealing with auto thefts in both an operational and investigation capacity.”
According to the CPS, 2,998 vehicles were stolen in Calgary in the first half of 2017. The number of vehicle thefts is 13 per cent more than Calgary experienced in the first six months of 2016 and 48 per cent more than the city’s five year average (January through end of June).
“As recently as the second quarter of 2017, there are, on average, 19 vehicles stolen per day,” said Gach. “With those numbers, it’s prudent that we respond to it. By focusing an operational team that’s aligned with an investigative team, we’ll have greater success at dealing with decreasing those numbers.”
CPS officials predict the dedication of the seven-member district operation team will significantly reduce the frequency of auto thefts as a similar centralization of resources to address residential break-and-enters proved successful.
“We’re not increasing the number of officers or pulling people,” said Gach. “We’re taking people that were already assigned to investigate property related crime and focusing their attention on stolen autos.”
Police say the most commonly stolen vehicles in Calgary over the last three months are:
- Honda Civic
- Ford F350
- Dodge Ram
- GMC Sierra
- Ford F350
Gach adds members of the public can take preventative steps to reduce the likelihood their vehicle will be targeted by opportunistic thieves including:
- Protecting your keys
- Ensuring garage doors are locked
- Locking vehicle doors
- Securing garage door openers
